Chinese fountain grass

Chinese fountain grass: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Rounded, fountain-shaped clump 50–90 cm tall and as wide, depending on the variety.

Leaves

Narrow and strap-like, glossy green; golden yellow to orange-brown in autumn.

Flowers

From August to October, soft cylindrical spikes with long bristles, cream, pink or purplish brown.

Growth

A warmth-loving grass that starts late, often not until May.

Roots

Dense, fibrous clump without runners.

Flowering: August–October · Plants: April–May · Pruning: March

Why grow it?

• One of the finest late-summer grasses: soft plumes from August to October.
• A rounded, fountain-like shape that suits borders, gravel gardens and large pots.
• Golden autumn colour and a fine winter silhouette, especially with frost.
• Easy: one cut a year, in March.
• Compact varieties are ideal for small gardens and edging.
• It combines beautifully with late-summer flowers such as asters and coneflowers.

Chinese fountain grass: where does it grow best?

• Full sun: in shade it flowers poorly and the clump falls open.
• Sandy, loamy or clay soil, acid to chalky, as long as it is not waterlogged in winter.
• Normally moist: it dislikes long summer droughts as much as wet roots in winter.
• Allow 60–90 cm per plant, depending on the variety.

Light

Sun

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Normal

Size

0.9 m tall, 0.9 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -20 °C)

Goes well with

• Michaelmas daisy: Purple and pink flowers in September–October, at the same time as the plumes.
• Purple coneflower: Pink or white flowers in late summer that stand out well against the soft plumes.
• Ice plant: Flat pink flower heads in late summer, for the same sunny spot.
• Black-eyed Susan: Yellow flowers in August–September, a warm contrast.

Chinese fountain grass: when and how to plant it?

Plant in April–May.

1. Plant in April–May, once the soil has warmed up: it then roots quickly. Plants put in during autumn often fail to survive the winter.
2. Dig a hole twice as wide as the pot and loosen heavy soil with some compost.
3. Set the clump at the same depth as it was in the pot and firm the soil.
4. Space plants 60–90 cm apart, depending on the variety; in a group, about 2 plants per m².
5. Water in well and water in dry spells during the first season.

Care

Water

Regularly in dry spells during the first year. Later only in long dry periods.

Feeding

A little compost in April is enough; too much feeding makes the clumps floppy.

Late start

It is slow to emerge: do not panic if you see nothing yet in April.

Winter

Leave the leaves and plumes standing all winter; they protect the crown.

Rejuvenating

After a few years the centre may go bare: divide the clump in spring.

Tip: Leave the clump standing all winter and only cut it back in March; always plant new plants in spring, so they are well rooted before winter.

Chinese fountain grass: when to prune it?

Pruning months: March.

When: In March, just before new growth starts. Not in autumn: the old leaves protect the crown from wet and frost.

How:

• Cut all stems and leaves back to 10–15 cm above the ground.
• Tie a large clump together with string first: you can then cut it in one go and clearing up is easy.
• Take care not to damage the new green shoots at the base.

Caution: Do not cut back in autumn: a clump cut short rots more easily in a wet winter.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Division

In May, as new growth gets going: slice the clump into pieces with roots using a spade and replant them at once. Do not divide in autumn.

Self-sown seedlings

Seedlings sometimes appear by themselves. Named varieties do not always come true from seed, so propagate those by division.

Chinese fountain grass: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −20 °C.

• Hardy to about −20 °C: in Belgium it survives ordinary winters without protection, as long as the soil is not waterlogged.
• Leave the dry clump standing: it protects the crown and looks lovely covered in frost.
• Plants put in late in the season are more vulnerable: so plant in spring.
• In a pot: stand it against a wall and wrap the pot in hessian so the roots do not freeze.

Diseases and pests

• Winter losses: The clump does not reappear in spring, often after autumn planting or on wet soil. Plant in spring and ensure good drainage, but wait until late May before giving up on it.
• Few flowers: Too little sun or a cool summer. Give it the sunniest spot.
• Clump falling open: In shade or after too much fertiliser, the clump flops apart. More sun, less feeding.
• Seedlings: With some varieties, young plants appear around the clump. Weed them out while young if you do not want them.

Through the year

• March: Cut back to 10–15 cm.
• April: Plant. Add a little compost.
• May: Plant or divide. New growth begins.
• June: Water in dry spells, especially young plants.
• August: Flowering begins: the first bottlebrushes.
• September: Full flowering. Beautiful with morning dew.
• October: Last plumes. The leaves turn golden yellow.
• November: Leave the clump as winter protection.
• December: Winter silhouette. Do not cut back.

Did you know?

• Pennisetum comes from the Latin penna (feather) and seta (bristle); the species name alopecuroides means ‘like foxtail’.
• Following DNA research, the Pennisetum species were moved into the genus Cenchrus; hence the new name.
• It is a warmth-loving grass: it only really grows once the soil warms up, which is why it emerges so late and only flowers in late summer.